Looking for advice before building a forge from an old wood stove

S

Spucknit

Joined
Feb 5, 2015
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Until now I've been working with a little 2 brick forge using MAPP gas. The little forge seems to work pretty well but they don't last very long. I'm on my second one already and I don't use them all that much. Also I find it very difficult to heat a blade evenly. By the time I get the thick parts to to proper color, the tips are 3 or shades brighter. I'm hoping that a larger forge will help me with both of these problems, and hopefully one day be able to forge weld too.
This is what I had in mind. I've had this little guy laying around for a while.

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Its inside dimensions are about 19" deep, 14" high and 9" wide. I was planning on plugging the chimney hole with some mild steal, lining it with some 2" Inswool, coating that with satanite, putting in a sacrificial floor block, and forced air burner all from High Temp tools.

Does anyone foresee any problems with this plan?
 
I plan on installing 2 layers on top , 2 on the back, 1 on each side, and one on the bottom plus the 1 " brick. This would give me final dimensions of about 5" wide, 7" high, and 15" deep. I think that should be about right for the burner I'm looking at but I really wouldn't now for sure. The description says good for 8" diameter and up. It doesn't say anything about depth so It's hard to know what cubic footage its really good for though.
 
Spucknit said:
I plan on installing 2 layers on top , 2 on the back, 1 on each side, and one on the bottom plus the 1 " brick. This would give me final dimensions of about 5" wide, 7" high, and 15" deep. I think that should be about right for the burner I'm looking at but I really wouldn't now for sure. The description says good for 8" diameter and up. It doesn't say anything about depth so It's hard to know what cubic footage its really good for though.
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Give them a call. Most places are familiar with helping with builds and the mathematics involved.
 
That stove is too nice to use as a forge!!!

I just bought the same model (Jotul 602) new for my son's house and it was around $1000.

Sell the stove or use it for it's intended purpose and build a forge.
 
I have a very similar stove in the storage shed. A friend gave it to me when he moved. I was originally going to use it for auxiliary heat in the new shop. I have since considered converting it into a ceramic pellet forge ( gas powered simulant of a charcoal forge).


As far as making a gas forge, it would be way too large for a regular forge ... as well as far too low to the ground. You would have to brick up the inside with a lot of firebrick, line that with 2" of ins-wool, and coat with satanite and ITC-100. It is doable, but a lot more work than it is worth. All you want is a 5-6" round chamber when done.
 
I have a very similar stove in the storage shed. A friend gave it to me when he moved. I was originally going to use it for auxiliary heat in the new shop. I have since considered converting it into a ceramic pellet forge ( gas powered simulant of a charcoal forge).


As far as making a gas forge, it would be way too large for a regular forge ... as well as far too low to the ground. You would have to brick up the inside with a lot of firebrick, line that with 2" of ins-wool, and coat with satanite and ITC-100. It is doable, but a lot more work than it is worth. All you want is a 5-6" round chamber when done.

One possible use would be to build a small forge from a piece of 8-10" pipe that will fit through the door, and set it inside the stove. Then you can just open or close the stove door to use or hide the forge.
 
I was BS-ing with an auto mechanic who works in the shop next to mine today, and I had mentioned my plans to turn the stove into a forge. He gave me a ration of it. He has wanted my little stove for a while now. He especially likes it because he likes to pan for gold when he's not wrenching on cars. Not only did he offer me $100 for the stove, I gave me an old freon tank that he had laying around. Looks like I'm changing plans. Thanks for the advice.
 
Spucknit said:
I was BS-ing with an auto mechanic who works in the shop next to mine today, and I had mentioned my plans to turn the stove into a forge. He gave me a ration of it. He has wanted my little stove for a while now. He especially likes it because he likes to pan for gold when he's not wrenching on cars. Not only did he offer me $100 for the stove, I gave me an old freon tank that he had laying around. Looks like I'm changing plans. Thanks for the advice.
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A much better plan! :)
 
Don is right !! Restore it and heat your house with it or sell it. A nicely made 18" box stove like I have does a great job for heating and a fancy one like that needs a home to heat !!
 
I want to know what kind of 2 brick forge you're destroying so quickly. Also, a proper burner and propane will be much cheaper than running MAPP.
 
Atlas Knife Company said:
I want to know what kind of 2 brick forge you're destroying so quickly. Also, a proper burner and propane will be much cheaper than running MAPP.
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I made what is essentially a 1 1/2 brick forge. I cut the bricks in half drilled a 2 1/8" hole all the way through 2 of them, and about half way through third. I stuck them together with some "DAP" fire resistant mortar that comes in a caulk tube rated to 2000*. I also covered the interior with the mortar. I used my plumbers torch with MAPP. The first one cracked while cooling back down pretty significantly after the first use, which was really just a test. After the second fire up, while cooling it cracked like crazy and literally fell apart when I tried to pick it up. The second one I built the same way, and I've only fired it twice so far. It has no visible cracks yet but it makes all kinds of cracking noises when its cooling down. In any case I would much prefer to be using something a bit more suited to what I'm doing.
 
Lieblad said:
Fwiw, I prefer a round horizontal interior. The burner blows in at an angle to create a swirling effect.
At least in my mind, creates lesser hotspot within the enclosure. Mind you, I forge alot more than knives & trinkets, my small forge is still largeish by bladesmith standards.

(We make our own blown burners too...
If a guy has ingenuity & aptitude to build & use forge, burners are just as easy...)

As others said, that valuable stove would be awfully big for a blades only forge.
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I tend to agree. I am feeling mush more comfortable with the tank forge plan largely to do to the shape and size. I ordered the wool, and satanite already. I'm a bit strapped for cash right now so I'm leaning toward a building a venturi burner, that I can add a blower to later. Does that sound doable?
 
Blown Forges can be cheep, I have seen many a blown forges running off hair driers.
 
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